Spooling mechanism for cable winches



July 22, 1947.

SfOOLING MECHANISM FOR CABLE WINCHES Filed Nov 20, "1944 E. BARKER 2Sheets-Sheet 1 mm]! m 1 .20 46 44 4 u 1m HI! 1 3 1. /6-' 3 3/. v

Eugene .BafZt'r (mew- 4' July 22, 1947.

EfBARKE R I SPOOLING MECHANISM FOR CABLE wmcrms Filed Nov. 20, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 22, 19 i! SPOQLING MECHANISM FOR CABLEWINCHES Eugene Barker, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The .iaeger MachineCompany, Columbus, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application November 20, 1944, Serial No. 564,192

This invention relates to winches and, more particularly, to powerdriven winches ofthe heavy duty type employed quite commonly on shipsfor raising and lowering anchors, towing purposes and various othercapacities.

In the operation of such apparatus, it is important that the cable beproperly guided as it is being wound about the power driven drum withwhich it is connected, so that the cable will spool in uniformly evenand level windings on the drum.

Therefore, it is a general object of the invention to provide inconnection with such winches a novel spooling guide for the associatedcable, the guide being mounted for sliding movement on a threaded powerdriven shaft so that, as the drum is rotated to wind the cablethereabout, the guide will travel back and forth in a plane parallelwith the cable drum of the winch, guiding the cable as it is beingwrapped about the drum so that the same will wind flatly in a levelmanner on the drum precluding knotting or bunching of the cable duringwinding and unwinding operations thereof with respect to the drum.

It is another object of the invention to provide a level-windingmechanism for winch cables in which the cable guide is mounted forreciprocating movement on a frame carried rotatable supporting shaft,the latter having continuous intersecting right and left hand threads orgrooves adapted for cooperation with the internally threadedshaft-receiving bore of the spooling guide so that, as the shaft isrotated, reciprocating movement back and forth across the face of thecable drum will be provided, thus training the cable so that it willWind flatly on the drum in a uniform manner.

It is another object of the invention to provide a cable spooling guidefor winches in which the guide proper is rotatably mounted on a powerdriven reversely threaded shaft and wherein provision is made forturning the guide between an upright active position adapted for thereception of the associated cable, and a lowered inactive position inwhich the guide is positioned so that it is out of engagement with saidcable and does not contact the same, whereby when the cable is paid outrapidly from the drum, and moves at a high linear rate of speed, as inthe lowering of an anchor, the guide of the level winding mechanism willbe inactively positioned in order to avoid the development of heat andfriction by the contact of the cable line therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide a winch of the characterset forth wherein the threaded or grooved shaft for the spooling guide 2Claims. (Cl. 242158) is driven by gearing engageable with the bull gearof the cable drum, the drive gearing for said shaft being retainedwithin a casing mounted for bodily rocking movement about the axis ofthe groove shaft, whereby through adjustment of said casing, the geardrive to the groove shaft to impart motion thereto may be interrupted atwill.

It is a further object to provide the gear drive to the groove shaftwith a manually operated control, so that the operating positions of thespooling guide on said shaft may be initially set by a manual operationand thereafter power to rotate the shaft to reciprocate the guide may besupplied by the engagement of the drive gearin with the bull gear of thecable drum.

For a further understanding of the more detailed objects and advantagesof the invention, reference is to be had to the following descriptionand the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig, 1 is a plan view of a cable winch provided with the level-windingmechanism comprising the present invention;

Fig, 2 is a side elevational view of the winch;

Fig, 3 is a horizontal sectional view disclosing the'drive gearing forthe grooved shaft of the level winding mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a vertical view taken through the spooling guide on the line4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through thespooling guide mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral ll] designatesthe parallel frame members of a cable winch. These frame members at oneend are provided with bearings H for the reception of a power drivenshaft l2, power being supplied to the shaft in any suitable manner,usually by the employment of an internal combustion engine, not shown.Rotatable with the shaft I2 is a pinion I3 which meshes with a spurtoothed-gear I4 fixed to one end of a drumrotating shaft I5, the latterbeing suitably journaled for rotation in bearings provided in the framemembers i l].

Keyed to the shaft 15 for sliding movement thereon is a shiftable drivepinion Hi, the hub ll of which is annularly grooved for the reception ofa yoke 88, and manually operated levers and links 59 are connected withthe yoke for the purpose of shifting the operating positions of thepinion it. In one position the pinion l6 engages with the teeth of abull gear 20 formed with a cable drum 23. Also, the pinion 16 may bedisposed in a neutral position between the gear 20 and the reversinggear 24. In another position, the pinion 16 engages with the teeth of areversing gear 24 in order that power may be applied to the bull gear torotate the same in either direction. The cable drum is mounted on astationary shaft carried by the frame members l so that it may rotatefreely thereon. Also, the drum is provided with the customary brakewheel 25 with which is engaged a contractible brake band 26 operated bycontrol levers 21, so that braking forces may be applied when desired tothe drum to govern its rotation.

The construction thus far described in detail is standard and does notenter directly into the present invention, the latter being concernedprincipally with improved means for controlling the winding andunwinding of a cable 28 on and from the drum. My improved level-windingmechanism comprises a threaded or grooved shaft 29, which has its endsjournaled in bearings 39 carried by the frame members ID. The shaftis'formed' with continuous spiral'grooves 3| of opposite hand whichreceive a pivoted stud-carried shoe 32 carried by the hub of a spoolingguide or follower 33. The upper end of the latter is formed withbifurcated arms 34 so spaced as to receive between them the cable 28 asthe latter is wound upon the drum 23.

It will be seen that as the shaft 29 rotates, the guide or follower 33,through the formation of the grooves and the shoe 32, will advance backand forth longitudinally on said shaft, registering the arms 34 thereofwith different portions of the cable-receiving regions of the drum 23.The rotational speed of the shaft 29 is proportioned to that of saiddrum so that when the drum and shaft are simultaneously rotated, theguide or follower 33 will reciprocate to properly control the winding ofthe cable on said drum, causing the cable to wind in a hat or levelmanner and preclude bunching or knotting of the cable as so often occurswith prior types of winches.

The cable guide or follower 33 may be moved between a substantiallyupright active position in which the cable passes between the arms 34,and a relatively lowered or inactive position in which the arms 34 areremoved from registration with the cable. Such an inactive position issometimes desired in winch operation, particularly under conditions inwhich the cable is paid out rapidly from the drum, as when the pinion I6is in a neutral position and the brake on the drum 23 released. Such anoperation takes place in such winches when an anchor is dropped. Underthese conditions, the linear speed of the cableis so high that if itwere to rub or frictionally engage the sides of the follower arms unduefrictional heat would be created detrimental to the cable.

To maintain the guide or follower in its upright position, the samebelow its hub is formed with a downwardly directed integral extension 35which terminates in a hub-shaped lip 36, the latter being formed forengagement with a stationary shaft 31 carried by the frame members It]and arranged below and in parallel relationship with the shaft 29. Also,the extension 35 carries a movable curved jaw 38 which is adapted forengagement with the shaft 31 and cooperates with theextension lip 36 tonormally retain the follower against oscillation on the shaft 29.However, when it is desired to lower the guide or follower 33, the jawis moved upwardly by releasing the spring actuated lock 39 so that thejaw 38 will clear the shaft 31, thus permitting the follower to rock toits lowered position. Such rocking movement to its lowered position ofthe follower is limited, however, by the provision of an arm 40 which atits upper end may be fastened to the hub of the follower and will haveits lower end recessed as at 4| for engagement with the shaft 31 whenthe follower has been lowered to the desired extent.

The jaw 38 is formed with a shank 42, which is slidably received in aguiding recess provided in the extension 35. The lock 39, which iscarried by the shank 42, comp-rises a spring pressed pin whichisreceivable within an opening formed in the extension 35. The outer endof the lock is formed with a manipulating head 43 which may be manuallygrasped to pull the locking pin outwardly from the openings in theextension 35, thus allowing sliding adjustment of the jaw 38 and itsshank 42.

In order to apply power to rotate the groove shaft 29 at an R. P. M.bearing a definite ratio with that of the drum 23, there is mounted onone end of the shaft 29 an oscillatory gear casing 44. At one end thegear casing 44 has journaled therein a shaft 45 which, in turn, carriesat one end a spur pinion 46 adapted to be thrown into and out ofengagement with the teeth of the drum gear 20 when the casing 44 isrocked. Internally, the shaft 45 is equipp d With a pinion 47 whichmeshes with an intermediate or idler gear 48, the latter being fixed toa cross shaft 49 having its ends journaled in bearings supported by thewall of the casing 44. The shaft 49 also carries for rotation therewitha pinion 56, the latter meshing with an enlarged gear 5i secured to oneend of the groove shaft 29, The side walls of the casing 44 are providedwith bearings 52 so that the casing may be received by and mounted forrocking movement on the shaft 29. Thus when the gear casing is loweredso that the pinion 46 meshes with the teeth of the gear 20, rotatingpower is applied to the shaft 29 and the gearing ratio is such as tocause the cable guide or follower 33 to move linearly along the shaft 29at a predetermined rate of travel, whereby to cause the cable to windlevelly on the drum.

The shaft 45 may be provided at the outer end thereof with a hand wheel53 so that when the casing 44 is elevated to remove the pinion 46 frommeshing engagement with the gear 20, the rotation of said hand wheelwill impart rotary movement to the shaft 29, causing the guide orfollower 33 to assume a desired position of registration with the drum23, so that the guide or follower will be properly aligned with thecable windings on the drum when the follower is operated by powerderived from the bull gear 26. To raise and lower the casing 44, theremay be mounted on the stationary shaft 31 of the frame In a sleeve 54'carrying an eccentric 55 which contacts the under part of the casing 44.The sleeve 54 may be formed with a hand wheel 58 which, when manuallyoscillated, rocks the eccentric to effect either raising or loweringmovement of the gear casing 44 and its associated pinion 46.

In view of the foregoing, it is believed that the operation of myimproved level-winding mechanism for winches will be largely obvious.operation, however, may be summarized by stating that when the cable isto be wound about the drum 23, as for instance in the raising of a shipanchor, power is applied to the shaft l2 from any suitable source torotate the pinion shaft l5, the pinion IE on said shaft being operatedby the Such lever mechanism I9 50 that said, pinion is engaged with theteeth of the gear 20, thus causing the rotation of the drum 23. Also,the gear casing 44 is lowered so that the pinion 46 thereof will be inengagement with the teeth of the gear 20, thus transferring rotarymotion to the groove shaft 29 through the meshing gears provided in thecasing 44. With the drive gearing so engaged, the cable guide orfollower 33 moves at a controlled rate of linear travel back and forthon the shaft '29 and in parallel relation to the face of the drum 23,controlling or guiding the cable so that it winds uniformly in flatcoils from one side of the drum to the other.. When the windingoperation has been completed, the brake mechanism of the drum may beapplied to arrest undesired rotation and the pinion l6 moved to aneutral position, discontinuing application of power to the drum.

In an operation in which the cable is paid out rapidly from the drum,with the drum turning freely on its supporting shaft, as in the loweringof a ships anchor, the extension 35 of the cable guide or follower isdisengaged from the stationary shaft 3! by the operation of the movablejaw 38, and the said guide or follower is allowed to swing to itsrelatively lowered or inactive position in which it is held by theengagement of the arm 40 thereof with the shaft 31. Also, the gearcasing 44 is rocked so that its spur pinion 36 is disengaged from thedrum gear 20. When the brake 26 is released, the cable will pay outnapidly, although the rotational speed of the drum may be governed, whennecessary, by the use of its brake mechanism. Under such conditions ofhigh linear speed of the cable, the guide or follower 33 is removed fromcontact therewith, thus preventing injury to the cable as a result offrictional engagement and resulting heat caused by possible rubbing ofthe same against the sides of the follower arms 34.

I claim:

1. Cable winding and unwinding mechanism comprising a frame, a cabledrum rotatably supported by said frame, a power rotated driving gear forsaid drum, a shaft journaled for rotation in said frame in spacedparallel relation with respect to said drum, said shaft being formedwith continuous intersecting helical grooves of opposite hand, acable-guiding follower having an element engaged with said grooves toproduce sliding movement of said follower first in one direction andthen the other upon unidirectional rotation of said shaft, a gear casingloosely mounted on said shaft for turning movement about itslongitudinal axis, a, gear train in said casing meshing with a gear onsaid shaft for rotating the latter, a, drive pinion for said gear trainoperable upon rocking movement of said casing to be brought into and outof engagement with the teeth of the drum drive gear, manually operatedeccentric means supported by said frame for making said gear casingabout the axis of said shaft, and manually operated means for impartingmotion, to said gear train and said shaft independently of the drivegear of said drum.

2. Cable winding and unwinding mechanism comprising a frame, a cablednim rotatably supported by said frame, a power rotated driving gear forsaid drum, a shaft journaled for rotation in said frame in spacedparallel relation with respect to said drum, said shaft being formedwith continuous intersecting helical grooves of opposite hand, acable-guiding follower positioned on said shaft and having an elementengaged with said grooves to provide sliding movement of said followerfirst in one direction and then the other upon unidirectional movementof said shaft, a second shaft journaled in said frame below said groovedshaft, a depending extension on said follower having !a semicircularsocket in the lower end thereof arranged to receive said second shaft, amovable jaw carried by said extension and cooperative with said secondshaft for maintaining said follower against rotation on saidgroovedshaft, a gear train rockably supported by said grooved shaft and movableinto and out of engagement with the driving gear for said drum, and a.foot member carried by said follower and spaced from said extension forlimiting the extent of oscillation of said follower and gear train byengagement with said second-named shaft.

EUGENE BARKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,250,985 Benson July 29, 19411,740,222 Broadwell et al Dec. 17, 1929 1,736,674 Smith Nov. 19, 19291,663,801 Kautzky Mar, 27, 1928 1,432,988 Erickson Oct. 24, 1922 645,630Schultz Mar. 20, 1900 484,358 Flohr Oct. 11, 1892 27,305 Palmer Feb. 28,1860

